Lavallette, NJ — A New Jersey mother is sharing her experience of feeling humiliated and trapped at a local café after her 3-year-old daughter accidentally broke a $1,600 marble table, according to a viral TikTok video.
Accidental Table Breakage Leads to Humiliation
Kathy Denman, from Pompton Plains, explains that the incident occurred at the Hazelnut Café in Lavallette, where she and her daughter were waiting for their coffee and ice cream. According to Denman, her daughter, Allie, accidentally knocked over the marble table while waiting.
“I was completely humiliated and embarrassed,” Denman said in the viral TikTok. “I’ve cried since.”
The café’s surveillance footage shared with NJ Advance Media shows Allie apparently hitting the table with her foot, causing it to topple over. Two other customers in the crowded café can be seen trying to help pick it up, but several pieces of the table’s underside are left scattered on the floor.
“Allie was frozen and scared and nervous,” Denman recalled. “Everybody’s reaction definitely didn’t help.”
Owner’s Policy and Denman’s Response
Denman claims that, after the incident, she was told by a café employee that their policy was clear: “You break it, you pay for it.” She says that when she spoke to one of the owners on the phone, she was “not allowed to leave” until she provided her driver’s license and credit card information. Denman described feeling trapped and upset as the café’s policy and the atmosphere contributed to her distress.
Denman said, “I remained in the café for about 20 more minutes,” adding that she felt coerced into staying.
However, the Hazelnut Café is part of Hazel Boutique, a well-known clothing and home decor brand in New Jersey, and the owners later issued a statement. According to Kimberly and Jenna Campfield, the café’s twin owners, they were grateful that everyone was safe after the incident.
“Following the incident, we personally called the child’s mother to express our concern, offer our support, and share our direct contact information should she need anything,” the Campfields said in a statement to NJ Advance Media.
(Source: NJ Advance Media)
Public Backlash and Apology from Café Owners
The café owners did not support Denman’s claims that she was “prevented from leaving.” In their statement, they emphasized:
“We would never hold anyone against their will. The mother was not charged for the damaged table, even after asking how she could make it right given the table broke. We requested her contact information for insurance purposes.”
After the incident, the Campfields personally reached out to Denman to apologize for the experience, offering their support. Denman later posted an updated statement on TikTok, explaining that her family had accepted the apology and now wanted to “move forward peacefully” without further comment.
“We’re good,” Denman said, adding that they were leaving the shore and heading home to Pompton Plains. She did not return subsequent calls for comment, but did post a statement accepting the café’s apology.
The Table in Question and Further Details
The table involved in the incident, a $1,598 Anthropologie console, quickly became the subject of public scrutiny. In the wake of the video, online sleuths quickly identified the table and its weight, originally claimed by Denman to be 600 pounds. However, after NJ Advance Media reached out, Anthropologie updated its listing to show that the table weighs 109.25 pounds.
“It is not clear whether this item was intended for dining use,” a spokesperson for Anthropologie said.
After receiving public feedback, the Hazelnut Café has since removed all similar tables from their locations to avoid any future accidents or liabilities.
What are your thoughts on the café’s handling of this incident? Let us know in the comments.
